Tuesday, June 21, 2011

A staggering 99 percent of slightly more than one million respondents in a poll by The Star Online have indicated support for the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9.

The actual number of respondents cannot be confirmed as the poll was taken down about noon today.

According to ascreen capture taken by a Facebook user, the number of respondents had hit 1.3 million at 12.25pm from 527,330 recorded at 6.11am today, according to a Google Cache snapshotof the website.

To the question 'What is your view on the proposed Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9?', 1,312,917 respondents answered 'It should be allowed to go on' as at 12.25pm.

The other option - 'It should be cancelled' - was selected by 14,222 respondents.

The poll was discussed with great interest by users of the Curi-curi Wang Malaysia Facebook page, which was set up recently in protest against Tourism Malaysia for spending RM1.8 million on a social media campaign.

However, jubilance turned to scorn when they realised that the poll had been taken down.Twists and turns

The Bersih 2.0 rally seeks to create awareness for meaningful reform to the electoral system and will petition for intervention by the Agong.

Government officials have claimed that the electoral system is not flawed and accused opposition parties of masquerading in the guise of a NGO coalition to stoke public anger.

The Election Commission (EC) claimed that it has been made a scapegoat in the matter, but offered a dialogue with Bersih 2.0 if it calls off the rally.

However, Bersih 2.0 yesterday maintained that it will proceed with the rally as previous meetings with the EC had come to naught.

Bersih 2.0 is also challenging the EC to reveal the list of recommendations submitted to the federal government to improve the electoral system.